by Lynda Chance
Amy tried to clear the fog from her brain. He was so not good for her. She had to keep remembering that. She stepped away from him. Since he wasn't expecting the move, her escape from his arms was easily accomplished. She pulled her shirt back into position. "I said that I had to run to Wal-Mart. Jake, listen to me. I can't keep doing this. You got what you wanted, and we both had a good time, but this has to end. "
He stood in stone silence during her recital. A loud buzzing noise was pulsing through his veins in time with his blackening mood. "Why?" The single word was barked in her direction.
Amy didn't even think about prevaricating. "When you sent me that text today, I started to worry. I thought about ambulances, and shoot-outs, and bank robberies. I thought you might be hurt. I can't do this. Please. You know why." Her voice dwindled off.
She cared for him. Jake was shocked to feel a stabbing rush of elation hit him. She got scared because she cared for him. He wanted to savor the pleasure of that. But first he had to avert disaster.
He gentled his voice. "Babe, it was just a pension meeting. It was unplanned and the department guy was in Baton Rouge. I promise, nothing bad, sweetheart. No reason to panic." He wanted to move toward her, but she was holding herself so still and quiet.
She let out a shaky breath. "But you called it a 'situation.'
Jake cursed silently in his head. God, he was a stupid shit. Amateur mistake, Fontenot. "Yeah, I did. I should have called it a meeting. I wasn't thinking. My bad. My fault, babe. I shouldn't have done that to you." His words were gentle and he waited for her reaction.
She didn't make one. She just stood there, her eyes mournful as she stared at him.
He tried again. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I won't worry you again. I promise." He opened his arms and took a step toward her. She hesitated, then slowly walked into them. Jake buried his face in her hair and felt a huge knot of relief loosen inside him. He hugged her to him and savored her sweet scent.
Amy mumbled into his shirt, "I have to get back to Kayla. I also have to make an unnecessary trip to Wal-Mart." She tried to break free of his hold.
He lifted her chin and asked, "We okay?"
She whispered "Yes," and moved toward the door.
Chapter Seven
The rest of the month flew by. The weekdays were spent in anticipation of the two stolen hours they had together. Almost every day. Almost every day they saw each other. Had sex together. Held each other. Weekends went quickly for Amy. All the cleaning, washing, shopping, and parenting she could fit into two days. Errands that needed running, and cooking ahead for the week was accomplished.
Weekends for Jake were sheer unmitigated torture. Too much time on his hands, too much fast food, not enough Amy. Not any Amy, goddammit.
He took to accepting extra jobs. Cops were always needed for private security detail. He didn't need the money, but he needed something to occupy his time.
He was standing outside the local cinema one Friday night when he saw the teenager. Dressed like the other three young girls she was with, he didn't know what it was about her that caught his attention. Until he started looking more closely. Probably a little over five feet tall, she had the look of Amy about her. Same long, dark hair, same slender build, same facial features. Could this then be the Kayla that was protected so fiercely by her mother? He couldn't see a reason not to find out.
The four girls bought their tickets and started toward the door. He was close enough to speak to them, but far enough away that it wasn't necessary. "Girls." He tipped his head. All four stopped and gawked.
One in the group, the bravest, spoke up. "Hi, Officer."
All the girls were looking at him. The one that he thought was probably Kayla was standing closest to him, at the end of the group. "You look really familiar to me. Does your mom happen to be Ms. Sanford, from the elementary?"
The girl brightened. "Yep. That's my mom. Wow. Do you think we look that much alike?"
He laughed. "You bet. You're going to be just as pretty as she is."
Kayla giggled. "Thanks! How do you know my mom?"
"I'm a D.A.R.E. officer at the school. I taught in her classroom." He could see her eyes light up. A devilish gleam came over her face. He could see the calculation in her face.
"Oh cool. And you think she's pretty, huh? She is pretty. She's not married, you know. Are you married? How old are you? Are you going to be at the school next semester? Why don't you ask my mom out? She's thirty-seven. She needs a boyfriend. My Granddad is a sheriff. My Dad lives in Dallas. I'm going to see him next weekend. You could ask her out then. Do you want her number? Are you married?" She paused to breathe.
Jake was in shock. What the hell had he done? Amy was going to kill him. Crap. He had expected the child to say 'yes' and that would be that. He didn't even know anyone could string that many words together at once. Now what was he going to do? He had to answer her. "Um, no. I'm not married." He needed an excuse. He had to honor Amy's wishes. "I'm not married, but I have a very serious girlfriend. So, I'm sorry, as pretty as I think your mom is, I can't ask her out right now."
The girl looked defeated. But then she perked up. "Oh, well, that's okay. Coach Guidry, from my high school keeps calling her, and she'll give in pretty soon and go out with him. Nice to meet you, Officer."
The girls spotted a group of young teenage boys and started to push through the turnstile.
"Have a nice evening, ladies. And please stay off the back row. That's no place for young ladies to be." The girls giggled again and went through the door.
****
Monday afternoon, Jake walked into Amy's house after a long, hellish weekend. He wasn't in a good mood. She was the cause.
She stood glaring at him with her hands on her hips. "What did you do, Jake? Why did you do it?" She wasn't furious, but she was definitely put out.
He knew immediately what she was referring to. How could he not? With a kid that had so much to say?
He looked her up and down. "Hell. I didn't expect her to talk so much. I didn't know she would want my life story and try to set us up. I was just curious to know if that was her. The pictures on your desk at work are of a little girl and I never paid any attention to them. Crap, she's a talker." That explained, he pushed off the door. Enough standing around. He hadn't breathed her scent since Friday. Too goddamn long.
Amy let him wrap his arms around her. "All right, then. No harm done. But, please, Jake, don't break my rule. I don't know how I would explain this to her."
Jake pushed against her. "Your rule. What about my rule? Who the fuck is Coach Guidry and why the hell does he have your number?"
Amy was startled. She needed to teach Kayla some discretion. "He's the soccer coach at the high school and he's Kayla's social studies teacher. We met at convocation and then again at the first parent-teacher conference. It's nothing. It's no big deal."
Jake growled. "Stay the fuck away from him Amy. Don't take his goddamn calls anymore. He just wants to get in your pants, I can promise you that. He's a no good son of a bitch to be hitting on one of his student's mothers." His fingers bit into her hips.
Amy was shocked at the vitriol spilling from him. And sort of thrilled. She placed her hands on his chest and rubbed in a soothing motion. "I'm not interested in him, Jake." She reached up and whispered a kiss onto his mouth. "It's just you. There's nobody else." Her lips parted and she took his bottom lip into her mouth. "Do you want me to show you?" She looked up through her lashed into his eyes.
He was looking at her with possessive force in his gaze.
She slid her hands between them to his fly. She rubbed him through the stiff material. Licked his bottom lip again. She started on his zipper and quickly released his straining erection. She wrapped her hand around him. He hissed in oxygen at her touch. She sank to her knees in front of him and set out to prove that he was the only one.
Chapter Eight
After Amy dropped Kayla off at the airport on Friday night, she drove straight
to Jake's house. It was a month ago today that they had started their affair. She parked in his driveway, next to his truck. He opened the backdoor before she could even knock.
"Hey, babe." Jake pulled her inside and kissed her quickly on the lips. He took her bags from her and dropped them on the table. "Got everything you need?" He walked around to the stove and stirred something that simmered there.
"Yes. I think so." Amy wasn't sure about this. He had planned for her to stay the weekend. They hadn't even spent a night together yet. Sometimes she had the sense that he would swallow her whole if she let him.
"Are you hungry? I haven't eaten yet. Make yourself at home, babe." He opened the refrigerator and started rummaging around inside. He pulled out stuff for a salad and a loaf of French bread.
Now she knew what to do. She was nothing if she wasn't a good cook. "Where's a bowl?" He pointed up and she opened the cabinet and took out what she needed. For two people who had never even shared a meal before, they worked in companionable silence.
Soon, they were sitting together with the remains of the spaghetti dinner between them. A bottle of red wine sat between them, almost empty. She swirled her glass around and enjoyed the soft warmth flowing through her veins. She softly smiled at him. "You're a good cook. Where'd you learn?"
Jake leaned over and kissed her softly. He lifted his lips. "Well, a man's got to eat, sweetheart." He topped up her wine. "I guess I've always known the basics. Mom taught the girls and made me watch most of the time. I used to get mad when she made me come inside, but I guess that I actually learned something. It's not Cordon Bleu, but I probably won't ever starve."
He stood up and picked up their plates. "Come here, and I'll show you something else she taught me." Amy picked up the utensils and followed him over to the counter. She watched him open the dishwasher. He slipped the two plates in. She slipped in the utensils and then he closed the door. "Dishes are done."
Amy looked around in surprise and laughed. "They sure are. That's amazing."
"Yeah, her first rule was that you clean up while you are cooking. It works every time." He grabbed the wine and glasses and strolled through to the living room.
She teased him as she followed him in. "I would love to meet the Goddess of domestic tranquility that taught you all these wonderful things." She curled up beside him.
"Anytime, sweetheart. My mother would love you. In fact, we can reserve tickets for next month." He paused and waited for the argument that would come. He wasn't wrong.
"Jake. I was teasing. You know I can't meet your parents. That would be--that would be--"
Jake frowned. "That would be too much like a relationship. You don't want that."
"You don't want it either, you know you don't--"
"Like hell I don't. Why wouldn't I? I'm too old to keep sneaking around. I've got nothing to hide. I'm not cheating on anybody. I'm not hurting anybody. You're the one that has a problem with me. Too damn bad I'm not a soccer coach." His voice was sharp.
"Jake, don't. Don't say that. We're just having fun. You said so yourself. No relationship. No commitment--"
"Bullshit. No commitment, my ass. We've had a commitment since the second night together, and you damn well know it. Do you think something bad will happen to me if you come out and admit you're mine? Do you think you will jinx it or something? Babe, what's going to happen is going to happen. If something tragic did happen, do you think you would miss me more if your friends knew we were together?"
Amy was stunned. The first time they had time to really talk, and all this came out. "No, but Kayla--"
He grimaced. "Kayla's in high school. She wants you to have a boyfriend. She doesn't seem to have a problem with cops. She would handle it just fine." He set his wineglass down and put his hands on her shoulders. "I want you. You're already mine. Don't deny it. I want everyone to know. I want to be able to go eat at restaurants. Go shopping together. Sleep together in the same house. I want you to be able to tell that damn coach why you won't go out with him."
Amy's eyes were suddenly swimming in tears. She shook her head. "I knew this would happen." She reached out and punched his shoulder, but it didn't have any strength behind it. "I knew this would happen the minute you walked in my classroom, damn you." She shuddered and a tear slid down her cheek.
Her tears hit Jake in the guts. He knew he could force her on this, but couldn't stand to see her so sad. He folded her in his arms. "Never mind. Just never mind, babe. Don't worry about it. Don't think about it. Just stay with me this weekend. We'll hide out here and no one will know." He tipped her face to his. "Just you and me. Just promise me that you're mine. Only mine."
Amy wiped her eyes. "I promise," she whispered.
What followed was the most sensual journey that they had ever taken. Jake removed their clothing one piece at a time, as if in slow motion. Buttons were loosened, one by one. Straps were removed, and snaps were unhooked. Feather soft kisses rained her face, her neck and her throat.
There was no hurry. They lay together, side by side, on his big couch. Soft touches of her skin, sips of her lips. Her skin was like silk, and he felt her touch all the way to his soul. Her body was his temple, and he worshipped it the only way he knew how.
Amy felt the difference in his touch this night, and was shattered by it. If she hadn't been falling in love with him before, she was now. He was worshipping not just her body, but her heart and soul, too.
When he entered her, it wasn't with a driving force toward orgasm. It was slow and gentle, their eyes entwined and their movements coordinated. "You're mine." His voice was deep.
Amy moved her hand to his cheek. "Yes." Her eyes were glazed with passion.
"You only sleep with me." He pushed in harder. She gasped.
"Yes," she panted.
"You only come for me." He lifted one of her legs and draped it over his arm. She was completely open to him and had no control over the depth of his thrusts.
"Yes, Jake." She felt the wave building.
"Don't forget it, Amy. You're mine. Forever." He tipped her up and slammed back inside. Amy splintered into a thousand different pieces as she fell over the edge.
They made love twice more during the night. Both times, he was gentle. It was like he had found a new way to vanquish her. Amy had no armor against it.
She was quickly losing this battle.
****
They spent the rest of the weekend doing inconsequential things. They drove to the coast and walked on the beach. The wind was sharp, and he held her close beside him and they strolled hand in hand. Then they had supper in a small town on the way back. All day, he wanted contact with her. Demanded it from her. He held her hand, or touched her shoulder, or put his arms around her. Amy luxuriated in the freedom of the time spent with him, and the new closeness they were sharing.
And they made love often. In the bed. In the living room. In the shower.
On Sunday, Amy didn't want to go home, and it was obvious that Jake didn't want her to leave. He became like the proverbial lion with the thorn in his paw. He scowled constantly. He snapped at her. He slammed doors. He became like a rabid dog that turned on his master.
Finally, she had enough. "Do you just want me to go now? I don't have to stay here until I go to the airport. I can easily leave now."
It was the wrong thing to say. She watched a look come over his face that almost scared her. The blood rose to his cheeks and he actually bared his teeth. The shift in his features was riveting. Amy was so intrigued she forgot to move. She waited too long, and he was in front of her.
"Say that again." He reached out and clasped a wrist in his hand.
"Jake, I--, I think you're behaving b-badly--"
He cut her off. "Behaving badly. You think I'm behaving badly." He reached down and took her other wrist.
Her stomach clenched. "Y-yes. You're acting very spoiled." He pushed his body to hers. She felt his erection between them. She backed up a step.
He followed h
er until he had her against the wall. He raised her arms above her head and pinned them to the wall. His body caged hers. "I'm spoiled and behaving badly."
"Y-yes, you are." She stared up at him.
"You want to see spoiled, babe?" He transferred both of her wrists so that he was holding them with one hand, then he put his other hand between them and opened his fly. He adjusted his clothing and his bulging penis was pushing against her. He looked down at her wide eyes. "Answer me."
Amy nodded her head in fascination. She could feel the wetness between her thighs. He was so awesome when he was out of control.
At her nod of confirmation, Jake reached underneath her short skirt and ripped her panties off. He lifted her tee-shirt up, and unclipped her bra. He carried her over to the back of the couch, then flipped her over until her hands were grasping the back of the sofa. He lifted her, spread her legs completely and slammed into her from behind.
Amy sucked in her breath and saw stars. He reached down between them and forcibly manipulated her clit. He growled at her. "I want you to come. I want you to come for me. I want you to come on my cock and know that you will never, ever have another man inside you again. You're my woman. The sooner you realize it, the better it will be for you." He pushed in and pulled out. Over. And again. Short, stabbing strokes.
"Mine. Say it."
"Y-yes. Yours." Amy undulated in time with his strokes. She was about to go over.
Jake gritted his teeth and strained for control. He wanted her. Everything she had to give.
"My woman. My lover. My partner. You'll give in to me sooner or later." He felt her internal muscles grab him and milk him. She started screaming with her orgasm. "Yes, babe. I want everything from you. Everything. Every--Ahhh" He groaned as his own orgasm took over.
Chapter Nine
That night, after her daughter was asleep, Amy picked up the phone and called her mother. It was one of those times. One of those times that only her mother could help. Even though Amy was a grown woman of thirty-seven, sometimes she just needed her mother's voice.
